We've been agitating for years in this town for Art Monk, the former Syracuse University Orangeman, to be stuffed, mounted and placed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

And why not? The man caught 940 passes across his 16-year NFL career (1980-1995), played in 15 post-season games (including three Super Bowls) and was named to the Pro Bowl on three occasions. Along with all of those statistical accomplishments, Monk was considered the ultimate professional and the pluperfect teammate.

And yet . . . the doughnut. Art Monk, retired now for more than a decade, remains on the outside while peers such as Steve Largent, James Lofton and John Stallworth are in. Which inspires the obvious question: Why?

Part of that answer has been provided by Peter King, who opines as follows in the current edition of Sports Illustrated:

"Pass-heavy schemes like the West Coast offense that came into vogue during the '80s have inflated the league's reception numbers. Five players in NFL history have 940 or more catches, and all of them began their careers after 1979. Only one of those five, Jerry Rice (1,549 receptions), is considered a lock for the Hall of Fame. Cris Carter (1,101) may eventually get in, but Tim Brown (1,094), Andre Reed (951) and Art Monk (940) will be lucky to make it."

Another reason Monk and his legacy may be forever banished to the shadows is that he never did cozy up to members of the media. He wasn't a bad guy like, oh, an Andre Rison. He was just very, very distant like, oh, a Duane Thomas. And, right or wrong, that is going to hurt him when the doors are closed and the vote is taken.

In any event, Art Monk did what he did, and he did it so well. And it all started at SU where he remains at No. 6 on the all-time receiving roll with 102 catches behind Scott Schwedes (139), Shelby Hill (139), Marvin Harrison (135), Rob Moore (106) and Quinton Spotwood (105).